1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information providing system and an information providing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information providing system and an information providing method for providing information for shoppers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Operators of shopping centers and supermarkets are eager to promote shoppers' willingness to buy, for example, by providing merchandise information when shoppers are on the premises and by providing information on new products and bargain sales when shoppers are outside of the premises. Patent document 1, for example, discloses a system that is designed to meet such a demand. In the disclosed system, a terminal device is mounted on a shopping cart and information on merchandise on the shelves is displayed on the terminal device according to the location of the shopping cart in a store.
Meanwhile, mobile phones have become widespread and most shoppers now carry mobile phones. Accordingly, many shoppers are willing to obtain information on merchandise, bargain sales, new products, etc. using their mobile phones.
Patent document 2 discloses a system that enables displaying merchandise information on mobile phones of shoppers or on personal computers mounted on shopping carts.
As another example, patent document 3 discloses a system using mobile phones. In the disclosed system, a shopper stores a shopping list in his/her mobile phone and connects the mobile phone to a display device on a shopping cart in a store to display the shopping list on the display device.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-110805
[Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-11617
[Patent document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-259683
However, the disclosed systems are designed to provide merchandise information only when shoppers are in stores and are not designed to actively provide promotional information such as bargain sales and new products even when shoppers are outside of stores.